Method and apparatus for heating a liquid storage tank

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for heating a liquid storage tank includes a liquid storage tank having an interior and a peripheral sidewall. An engine compartment is appended to the peripheral sidewall in front of the heat tube. An engine is disposed in the engine compartment. Heat given off from the engine during operation heats the engine compartment and such heat is transferred through peripheral sidewall to the interior of the liquid storage tank. An exhaust conduit extends into the interior of the liquid storage tank. Heat from hot exhaust gases passing through the exhaust conduit heats the interior of the liquid storage tank.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus forheating a liquid storage tank.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Most producing oil wells within the Province of Alberta are setup in a similar fashion. A drive head is positioned on a well head. Aproduction flow line extends from the well head to a liquid storagetank, which is spaced a distance from the well head. A propane burnershoots flame into a fire tube in the liquid storage tank. An enginepositioned in a wooden shack adjacent to the well head, provides motiveforce to the drive head. Propane tanks positioned adjacent to the liquidstorage tank, provide a fuel source for the propane burner and theengine respectively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] What is required is a more efficient method and apparatus forheating a liquid storage tank at a well site.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention there isprovided an apparatus for heating a liquid storage tank which includes aliquid storage tank having an interior and a peripheral sidewall. Anengine compartment is appended to the peripheral sidewall. An engine isdisposed in the engine compartment. Heat given off from the engineduring operation heats the engine compartment and such heat istransferred through the peripheral sidewall to the interior of theliquid storage tank. An exhaust conduit extends into the interior of theliquid storage tank. Heat from hot exhaust gases passing through theexhaust conduit is transferred to the interior of the liquid storagetank.

[0005] According to another aspect of the present invention there isprovided a method of heating a liquid storage tank. The liquid storagetank has an interior and a peripheral sidewall. A first step involvesappending an engine compartment to the peripheral sidewall of the liquidstorage tank. A second step involves operating an engine in the enginecompartment. Heat given off from the engine during operation heats theengine compartment and such heat is transferred through the peripheralsidewall to the interior of the liquid storage tank. A third stepinvolves passing hot exhaust gases from the engine through an exhaustconduit into the interior of the liquid storage tank. Heat istransferred from the hot exhaust gases passing through the exhaustconduit to the interior of the liquid storage tank.

[0006] Every well site presently has an engine. With the method andapparatus, as described above, the engine is merely repositioned into anengine compartment in order to take maximum advantage of heat from theengine and the hot exhaust gases from the engine. In addition to theadvantages gained through heat transfer, there is a secondary benefit ofa reduction of noise from the engine. The engine is selected based uponthe heat the engine generates during operation. Beneficial results havebeen obtained through the use of a marine engine, which generates moreheat during operation.

[0007] Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use ofthe apparatus, as described above, it is preferred that the exhaustconduit extend horizontally from the heat tube to exterior of the enginecompartment. The horizontal orientation is intended to avoid problemsoccurring of condensation within the exhaust conduit.

[0008] Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use ofthe apparatus, as described above, it is envisaged that the apparatuswill be incorporated into a well site with the engine is used to operatea drive head on a well head of an oil well.

[0009] In such well site installations, further beneficial results havebeen obtained where heated engine coolant is circulated within an enginecoolant conduit that is disposed along the exhaust conduit. Heat fromthe heated engine coolant is added to the heat from the hot exhaustgases to further transmit heat to the interior of the liquid storagetank.

[0010] Further, it is preferred that hydraulic flow lines from theengine to the drive head extend along a production flow line extendingfrom the well head to the liquid storage tank. The heat from thehydraulic flow lines also helps to prevent the production flow line fromfreezing during winter operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] These and other features of the invention will become moreapparent from the following description in which reference is made tothe appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustrationonly and are not intended to in any way limit the scope of the inventionto the particular embodiment or embodiments shown, wherein:

[0012]FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a well site utilizing anapparatus for heating a liquid storage tank constructed in accordancewith the teachings of the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the well site utilizing the apparatusillustrated in FIG. 1.

[0014]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the liquid storage tank illustratedin FIG. 1.

[0015]FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the liquid storage tankillustrated in FIG. 1.

[0016]FIG. 5, labelled as PRIOR ART, is a top plan view of a prior artwell site.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017] The preferred embodiment, an apparatus for heating a liquidstorage tank generally identified by reference numeral 10, will now bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 1 through 5.

[0018] Referring to FIG. 5, there is illustrated a prior art well site,generally indicated by reference numeral 100. Well site 100 includes aliquid storage tank 12 having an interior 14, a peripheral sidewall 16and a heat tube 17. A primary propane tank 20 provides fuel to a burner21. A secondary propane tank 23 provides fuel to an engine 24 that ishoused separate and apart from liquid storage tank 12. Hydraulic flowlines 26 driven by hydraulic pump 48 extend from engine 24 to drive head28. A production line 30 extends from a well head 32 to liquid storagetank 12.

[0019] Structure and Relationship of Parts:

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1, apparatus 10 includes a liquid storage tank12 having an interior 14, a peripheral sidewall 16 and an enginecompartment 18 appended to liquid storage tank 12. Referring to FIG. 2,primary propane tank 20 provides fuel through fuel line 22 to enginecompartment 18. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, an engine 24 is disposedwithin engine compartment 18. Referring to FIG. 2, hydraulic flow lines26 extend from engine compartment 18 to drive head 28. A production line30 extends from well head 32 to liquid storage tank 12. Hydraulic flowlines 26 are in a substantially parallel orientation and in closeproximity to production line 30. Referring to FIG. 3, engine 24 hasexhaust manifold 34 which is connected to an exhaust conduit 36 whichextends from peripheral sidewall 16 into interior 14 of storage tank 12.In the illustrated embodiment, exhaust conduit 36 is in the form of asubstantially horizontal loop that, upon exiting peripheral sidewall 16,is adapted with a muffler 38. Exhaust conduit 36 is further adapted withinterior baffles 40. An engine coolant conduit 42 extends from engine24. A thermostatically controlled valve 44 is positioned along enginecoolant conduit 42. From thermostatically controlled valve 44, enginecoolant conduit 42 extends along exhaust conduit 36. Referring to FIGS.3 and 4, in the illustrated embodiment, engine coolant conduit 42 ispositioned concentrically within exhaust conduit 36 and proceeds downthe interior of exhaust conduit 36 and returns to engine 24. It will beappreciated that other configurations of routing may be made. Referringto FIG. 3, in addition, engine coolant conduit 42 extends to a remoteradiator with fan 46 that also returns engine coolant to engine 24.Depending upon the orientation of thermostatically controlled valve 44,the flow of heated engine coolant may proceed by either route. Engine 24is further adapted with hydraulic pump 48 that provides hydraulicpressure to hydraulic flow lines 26.

[0021] Operation:

[0022] The operation of apparatus 10 in accordance with the teachings ofa preferred method will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1through 5.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 3, engine 24 is operated within enginecompartment 18. Referring to FIG. 2, fuel for the operation of engine 24is provided by primary propane tank 20. No other source of fuel isneeded. The noise of engine 24 is dampened by muffler 38 and absorptionof sound by liquid storage tank 12 through peripheral sidewall 16. Heat50, given off from engine 24 during operation, heats engine compartment18 and such heat is transferred through peripheral sidewall 16 tointerior 14 of liquid storage tank 12. Hot exhaust gases 52 from engine24 pass through exhaust conduit 36 and heat 50 given off heats interior14 of liquid storage tank 12. Interior baffles 40 disrupt the linearflow of hot exhaust gases 52 to more evenly distribute and transfer heatfrom hot exhaust gases 52 through exhaust conduit 36 to interior 14 ofliquid storage tank 12. Referring to FIG. 4, in the illustratedembodiment, engine coolant conduit 42 is disposed concentrically withinexhaust conduit 36. Heated engine coolant passes through engine coolantconduit 42 such that heat 50 is added to hot exhaust gases 52 to furthertransmit heat 50 to interior 14 of liquid storage tank 12. Referring toFIG. 3, for operation in warmer conditions, thermostatically controlledvalve 44 diverts heated engine coolant to remote radiator with fan 46.Upon operation of remote radiator with fan 46, the heated engine coolantis cooled and, in turn, cools exhaust conduit 36 and moderates thetemperature of interior 14 of liquid storage tank 12. Referring to FIGS.1 and 2, apparatus 10, by configuring hydraulic lines 26 in asubstantially parallel orientation and in close proximity to productionline 30, production fluid within production line 30 is also heated.

[0024] In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in itsnon-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included,but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to anelement by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibilitythat more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearlyrequires that there be one and only one of the elements.

[0025] It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modificationsmay be made to the illustrated embodiment without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined in the Claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. An apparatus for heatinga liquid storage tank, comprising: a liquid storage tank having aninterior, a peripheral sidewall, and an engine compartment appended tothe peripheral sidewall; an engine disposed in the engine compartment,such that heat given off from the engine during operation heats theengine compartment and such heat is transferred through peripheralsidewall to the interior of the liquid storage tank; and an exhaustconduit extending into the interior of the liquid storage tank, suchthat heat from hot exhaust gases passing through the exhaust conduit istransferred to the interior of the liquid storage tank.
 2. The apparatusas defined in claim 1, wherein the engine is selected based upon theheat the engine generates during operation.
 3. The apparatus as definedin claim 2, wherein the engine is a marine engine.
 4. The apparatus asdefined in claim 1, wherein the exhaust conduit extends horizontally toexterior of the engine compartment.
 5. The apparatus as defined in claim1, wherein the engine is used to operate a drive head on a well head ofan oil well.
 6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein hydraulicflow lines from the engine to the drive head extend along a productionflow line extending from the well head to the liquid storage tank. 7.The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein an engine coolant conduitextends from the engine along an exhaust conduit, such that heat fromheated engine coolant adds heat to the interior of the liquid storagetank.
 8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the engine coolantconduit passes concentrically along one of an interior or an exterior ofthe exhaust conduit and loops back to the engine.
 9. The apparatus asdefined in claim 1, wherein the exhaust conduit has interior baffles.10. An apparatus for heating a liquid storage tank, comprising: a liquidstorage tank having an interior, a peripheral sidewall, and an enginecompartment appended to the peripheral sidewall; an engine disposed inthe engine compartment, the engine being used to operate a drive head ona well head of an oil well, the engine being selected based upon theheat the engine generates during operation, such that heat given offfrom the engine during operation heats the engine compartment and suchheat is transferred through peripheral sidewall to the interior of theliquid storage tank; an exhaust conduit extending into the interior ofthe liquid storage tank, such that heat from hot exhaust gases passingthrough the exhaust conduit is transferred to the interior of the liquidstorage tank; and an engine coolant conduit extending into the interiorof the liquid storage tank, such that heat from heated engine coolantpassing through the engine coolant conduit is transferred to theinterior of the liquid storage tank.
 11. The apparatus as defined inclaim 2, wherein the engine is a marine engine.
 12. The apparatus asdefined in claim 7, wherein the engine coolant conduit passesconcentrically along one of an interior or an exterior of the exhaustconduit and loops back to the engine.
 13. The apparatus as defined inclaim 1, wherein the exhaust conduit has interior baffles.
 14. A methodof heating a liquid storage tank having an interior and a peripheralsidewall, comprising the steps of: appending an engine compartment tothe peripheral sidewall of the liquid storage tank in front of the heattube; operating an engine in the engine compartment, such that heatgiven off from the engine during operation heats the engine compartmentand such heat is transferred through the peripheral sidewall to theinterior of the liquid storage tank; and passing hot exhaust gases fromthe engine through an exhaust conduit extending into the interior of theliquid storage tank, such that heat is transferred from the hot exhaustgases to the interior of the liquid storage tank.
 15. The method asdefined in claim 14, the engine is selected based upon the heat theengine generates during operation.
 16. The method as defined in claim14, the exhaust conduit extending horizontally to the exterior of theengine compartment.
 17. The method as defined in claim 14, the enginebeing used to operate a drive head on a well head of an oil well. 18.The method as defined in claim 17, hydraulic flow lines from the engineto the drive head extending along a production flow line extending fromthe well head to the liquid storage tank.
 19. The method as defined inclaim 14, an engine coolant conduit extending from the engine along anexhaust conduit, such that heat from heated engine coolant passingthrough the engine coolant conduit adds heat to the interior of theliquid storage tank.
 20. The method as defined in claim 19, the enginecoolant conduit passing concentrically along one of an interior or anexterior of the exhaust conduit and looping back to the engine.
 21. Themethod as defined in claim 14, the exhaust conduit having interiorbaffles.